Cool thoughts meant to bring health and joy to life.

Latest Thoughts

Why Starchivore? Why Now?

it is now o'clock

Now is always the time to add healthier habits to ones life and we tried to go totally plant-based a few years ago and lasted for about 2 months...Read more

Today I had a text from my honey that said "Talking at work about how people like their steaks"...Read more

Creamy Lentil Vegetable Soup - oil free

Due to an "ouch, I bit my tongue and it's bleeding" incident in our household, I wanted to come up with a soup that didn't need to be chewed and yet supplied lots of great nutrients and was filling. Growing up eating soup from a can means that "making soup" is not an ingrained habit or thought process and yet each time that I have taken the time to do so, it is delicious. So this was my first attempt at a creamy soup. There is a recipe in my Detox book for Roasted Vegetable Soup and I have made the 'roasted vegetable' part many times and then eaten the vegetables straight from the oven instead of making them into a soup, mmmmm so good, although now that I have learned to either soak my potatoes or parboil them that recipe will change slightly.

So as I approached this 'creamy' soup the decision to roast or not to roast was decided by my inclusion of lentils. Lentils need to be cooked first, before adding the vegetables and also, roasting would mean more dishes so.... boil it was. I had watched a number of YouTube videos, specifically High Carb Hannah's videos, that showed the use of the hand blender to cream the soup and that seemed to make more sense than pouring a boiling mixture into the food processor.

We were thrilled with how this creamy soup turned out and the addition of some oil free hummus to the side of the bowl was amazing. Grab a little hummus on the spoon and then soup.... the combo was amazingly tasty. I drizzled tahini on the top of mine also and had a side of simple pita bread. The chunks of potato that had been put aside, then added back in, were a nice extra so that it wasn't just all creamy.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 large pot of water

1.5 cups brown, green or black lentils (if using canned then skip the first 20 minutes of cooking)

1 large onion, chopped

3/4 cloves garlic, chopped

3 large carrots, chopped

1 parsnip and or turnip, chopped

2 large white potatoes, chopped

1 large sweet potatoes, chopped

3 stalks celery and leaves, chopped

1 bell pepper any colour, chopped

1 tsp thyme

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tsp pepper

1/2 tsp cumin

1 can chopped or pureed tomatoes

hummus or tahini as a topping (optional)

salt to taste

cilantro, parsley or any chopped greens as a topping (optional)

ASSEMBLY

Wash lentils and add to half pot of boiling water, bring back to a boil then turn heat down and simmer for 20 minutes

Add the onion, garlic, carrots, parsnips and continue to simmer for 10 minutes then add the remainder of the vegetables and simmer for 20 minutes until soft.

Add the can of tomatoes and the spices and allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.

Remove 6 or 8 pieces of white potato and set aside and then use the hand blender to cream the mixture in the pot.

Add cooked potato pieces to individual bowls when serving and top each bowl with a tablespoon of oilfree hummus or tahini or both.

Add salt to taste. If you have some cilantro or parsley handy it would be nice to top it with also.

ENJOY!

TIP

Feel free to add any other vegetables that you have available including winter squash, zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower or whatever is in the fridge. Spices are also very personal so feel free to substitute your favourite or experiment with different ones for a variety of flavours. This recipes makes a very large pot and so we have just enjoyed it again for lunch and will be having it for supper, too, with the addition of finely chopped steamed cabbage.... mmmm.

SpiritualMatchMaking.com is the main sponsor of this website. Soup makers are a special breed and there must be lots out there looking for a friend or a partner. Be sure to take a moment and visit the site and see who you can find or recommend the site to a friend.

Starchivore Whole Food Plant-Based Lifestyle

Definition:

a plant-based diet that reduces or eliminates all animal foods like meat, dairy, and eggs PLUS has the addition of starch, so that you feel full and satisfied

include grains like rye, wheat, barley, oats and corn; starchy vegetables like squash, potatoes, and sweet potatoes and legumes like red and brown lentils, chick peas, green peas, and lotsa beans like pinto, kidney AND lots of fresh fruits and vegetables

reduces or eliminates added oils, including coconut, olive and peanut and reduces added sugars and salts

Looking for a soulmate that lives a plant-based whole foods lifestyle? or a vegan or a vegetarian? Visit our sponsor SpiritualMatchMaking.com.

DISCLAIMER: The information contained in these topics is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, it is provided for educational purposes only.
You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment or discontinuing an existing treatment.
Talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
Nothing contained in these topics is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.